


Shaky Hands: A Man Defined By His Hands

by deebainwonderland



Series: Irondad Whumptober [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, IronDad Whumptober, Irondad, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Parent Tony Stark, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Shaky Hands, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 18:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20840039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deebainwonderland/pseuds/deebainwonderland
Summary: Tony Stark is a man defined by his hands.#whumptober2019 #no.1





	Shaky Hands: A Man Defined By His Hands

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place in a post-Endgame world where Tony survives but loses an arm.

Tony Stark is a man defined by his hands. 

His hands created Iron Man out a pile of junk. His hands help Pepper relax after a long day. His hands cradle Morgan after being awoken by her bad dreams. His hands pat Peter’s back after a job well done. 

For over forty years, Tony had two strong hands to bend the world to his will. Now he was left with only one.

Now, don’t get him wrong, Tony was exponentially thankful that snapping the most powerful sources of energy in all the universe only cost him one arm instead of his life. A minor miracle in and of itself. 

But still. Tony Stark was an engineer. An engineer needs his hands. 

The only one Tony had left wouldn’t stop _ shaking_.

It shook as he held Pepper’s hand in his own. It shook as he cradled Morgan to his chest and when he pulled Peter closer to him by the shoulder. 

He’d been in physical therapy for months. Tony did strength-enhancing exercises twice a day. Helen even tried a restorative gene therapy. Nothing worked. No matter what he tried, the tremors always came back. 

Today Tony was slouched on his bed, leaning back against the headboard with Peter curled up at his side, a movie playing in the background. Ever since he'd gotten the kid back, this scenario had quickly become one of his favorites. 

Tony’s one full arm was wrapped around his kid, holding Peter firmly in place as though he were worried the boy would try to flee. A constant itch of his anxiety. Peter allowed the restraint even though he had no intention of going anywhere. Ever, if he could manage it. 

The two were alone in the cabin. It was a long weekend for Peter and Pepper had taken Morgan into the city for some girl time. So it was just Peter and him at the cabin. Tony, who still bit back a panic attack whenever the kid left his sight, was completely fine with the arrangement. 

Peter seemed happy with it too. He’d spent the evening animatedly telling Tony about the last few weeks of school. Tony learned about everything from his and Ned’s latest Lego adventure to MJ’s plans for the decathlon team. 

Tony passed the time watching the boy had been dead for five years with wonder. Sometimes, Tony wondered if having Peter back in his life would ever stop feeling like a dream. A dream he prayed every day not to wake up from. 

When Tony suggested a movie in the master bedroom, Peter had bounced along happily at his side. He’d selected an old Star Trek film and promptly curled up under Tony’s arm.

About thirty minutes passed without incident. Then the shaking began again. 

_ Damn it_, Tony thought, trying to calm the tremors without success. _ Don’t freak out the kid, don’t freak out the kid… _

Peter, perceptive as always, turned his head up and blinked at his mentor. “Is everything ok, Mr. Stark?”

_ Shoot. _

“Yeah, kid, everything’s fine,” Tony said, not meeting his eyes. “No worries.”

Peter sat up, reaching for the remote to pause the movie. He turned to sit cross-legged on the bed and stared at the man next to him. 

Tony looked back at him with dread, hand clenched into a shaking fist. 

Peter’s eyes traveled down to Tony’s hand before moving back up to his eyes. “You’re hand is shaking.”

Tony barked a laugh at that. “Thanks, kid, I hadn’t noticed,” he said sarcastically. 

Eyes narrowed, Peter looked back at him unimpressed. Man, sometimes Tony really missed the days when Peter was so scared of him he could barely talk without stuttering. These days Tony’s love for the boy was so embarrassingly obvious that he couldn’t get anything passed the kid. 

Tony sighed. “It just does that sometimes. I’m fine, Pete, don’t worry.” 

Peter watched him for a moment before uncrossing his legs and sliding closer, throwing them over the man’s lap. With a small smile, Tony reached his shaking hand down to gently rub the boy’s knee. His hand still shook but it helped to have something productive to do with it. 

Perhaps discerning that Tony didn’t want to talk about it, Peter turned the movie back on. Sparing one more glance at his mentor, the boy settled back.

A rush of fondness spread through Tony, so strong it made him a little dizzy. What could he possibly have done to deserve this miracle of a child? 

Tony was a man defined by his hands and he wasn’t ready to admit they were broken. One gone and the other so weak it could barely hold a screwdriver. 

But at least he could still hold his wife’s hand and pull his daughter into his lap. At least he could still bring a comforting hand to the boy next to him. He could still touch the people that he loved and at this moment, Tony could cry with gratitude. 

To his horror, Tony felt actual tears welling up in his eyes. _ Crap, keep it together Stark. _

He brought his hand up to his eyes, trying to rub them surreptitiously. He felt Peter’s eyes travel up to his face but the blessed boy simply shifted closer to him without a word. 

Tony gave himself a moment to shallow down the panic and dismay. The weight against his chest was a grounding force, bringing him back from the throes of a full-blown panic attack. He brought his single hand back down to bury it in the boy’s hair. 

Peter made a pleased noise and Tony huffed a laugh as he began twirling his fingers around the soft brown curls. He knew the boy could probably feel his fingers shaking as they scratched along his head but Peter simply hummed happily.

Tony was defined by his hands but he was also defined by the people those hands touched. 

Perhaps he was a broken man with a broken hand. But his shaking hand could still bury itself in the hair of his kids. He could still bring his wife to him for a kiss. 

Perhaps he was a broken man with a broken hand but Tony Stark still had a lot of life left to live. 

For this he was grateful.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Whumptober readers! I’ve never embarked on a long writing venture like this before so I hope you enjoyed this first entry. I’m probably not going to do every single prompt but I already have 20+ written so I will be doing a lot of them! Subscribe if you want to be the first to know when they are released. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are writer candy!


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